Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest edition - November 21, 2024
This is Part I of a two Part pancocojams series that provides an alphabetized compilation of some of the text (word only) examples of foot stomping cheers that I've come across which include "You mess with me and I'll mess you up" or other confrontational language.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/mess-with-me-and-ill-mess-you-up-other_14.html for Part II in this series. That post presents examples of these cheers that begin with the letter (I-Z).
****
This pancocojams series about foot stomping cheers that include confrontation language is a sub-set of a larger compilation entitled "Foot Stomping Cheers Alphabetical List".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list.html for Part I of that series. The links to the other part of that series are included in that post. That post also includes additional notes about the general topic of foot stomping cheers.
****
WHAT I MEAN BY "AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRLS' FOOT STOMPING CHEERS"
By "African American foot stomping cheers" I mean cheers that originated (originate) among African Americans and were (are) almost always performed in their original form by African American girls.
This description doesn't mean that these foot stomping cheers weren't (aren't) performed in their original un-modified textual (word) and/or foot stomping/hand clapping styles by females or males who weren't (aren't) African American.
-snip-
Examples of "modified" versions of these foot stomping cheers are found in Bring It On cheerleader cheer movies and among some contemporary "mainstream" cheerleader cheer repertoires. In addition, some of the words for "traditional" foot stomping cheers live on in softball cheers such as "Rock The Boat".
****
A DEFINITION AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
"Foot stomping cheers" are a type of children's cheerleader cheers" that appears to have been very commonly chanted and performed by two or more African American girls between the ages of six and 12 years old as part of their informal recreational playtime.
Based on online documentation, this relatively new category of children's recreational play appears to have been very widely performed among African American girls throughout the United States from the mid to late 1970s to around 2009. The earliest documentation of these types of cheerleader cheers is the 1978 vinyl record entitled Old Mother Hippletoe, Rural and Urban Children's Songs. That record included four children's cheers, two of which I'd categorize as foot stomping cheers. That record's song notes indicates that these girls were chanting and doing "gymnastic movements" while they pretended to be actual cheerleaders.
More information about the cheers examples that are found in that 1976 record is given in the comment section below for this pancocojams post.
I coined the term "foot stomping cheers" in 2000 for this sub-set of children's cheerleader cheers that have distinctive textual structures and distinctive performance styles. The term "foot stomping cheers" distinguishes examples of that category from other cheerleader cheers. However, these compositions appear to usually be referred to as "rhymes", "cheers". "chants", steps", or "stomps".
From the late 1980s to 2009 I collected examples of foot stomping cheers from my daughter and her friends, and from other African American girls in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and some of its surrounding African American cities. My daughter also collected some examples of these cheers from African American girls in the mid 1990s as part of her role as a summer camp counselor in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. The general rule that foot stomping cheers were informally performed as leisure recreational activities were the shows that my after school groups which I named "Alafia Children's Ensemble" held in Braddock, Pennsylvania and in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1990 to 2005. Read the comment section below for information about Alafia Children's Ensemble.
It's important to note that performing foot stomping cheers is a form of play acting (dramatization). In confrontational foot stomping cheers girls dramatize "attitude", particularly being badass, angry, being "tough", angry, and/or sassy. This doesn't mean that these girls are really that way some of the time or all of the time. A good foot stomping cheerleader is one who not only can remember the words to a cheer and come up with words during her solo portion that fits the theme and spirit of the cheer, and also can keep the beat and do the movements well. In addition, a good foot stomping cheerleader is one that can do a good job of portraying the role that is required by the words of that cheer - A confrontational foot stomping cheer requires that the cheerleader give (express, display) confrontational energy, which is different from the energy that should be given (expressed, displayed) during an introductory foot stomping cheer, or a dance style foot stomping cheer, or a romantic themed foot stomping cheer.
The main point that I want to make is that particularly in the case of confrontational foot stomping cheers, the "attitude" and confrontational demeanor that the cheerleaders put on isn't real. It's put on. It's play acting. The problem with this type of play acting is that a lot of people-particularly non-Black people have in the past and still today believe that that temperament is really who Black females are. And that false conclusion is very problematic for Black females-and Black people in general- in so many real ways.
****
WHAT IS THE OVER-ALL CULTURAL MEANING OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS THAT INCLUDE CONFRONTATIONAL LANGUAGE?
Confrontational foot stomping cheers are just one category of foot stomping cheers. Other categories are "introductory cheers", "dance cheer", "romance cheers". The category of any foot stomping cheer is determined by what most of the words in that cheer focuses upon. It's possible that a cheer can be a combination of categories.
Confrontational foot stomping cheers are foot stomping cheers in which the cheerleaders brag about themselves and also confront and/or put down another un-named person. (In modified versions of these cheers-i.e. foot stomping cheers that are chanted and otherwise performed in modified forms by mainstream cheerleaders- the cheer includes the name of the rival cheerleading team/sports team.)
Confrontational foot stomping cheers use bragging language such as "I'm f.i.n.e. "fine" [meaning "I'm really good looking], or "I'm bad" and also include words such as "mess with me and I'll mess you up".
Confrontational cheers reflect the value that American culture places upon being self-confident. That self-confidence is expressed by being outwardly strong, standing up for yourself, not (immediately) doing what people tell you to do, relying on your own abilities to protect and defend yourself and those people and things they care about. In African American culture this value can be summed up as "giving attitude and talking tough". The words "mess with me and I'll mess you up" is one way that being tough is shown in foot stomping cheers.
Most foot stomping cheers brag about at least one of the following:
1. being physically attractive, sexy, and cool -This is reflected in the words of some cheers throughout each of the categories of foot stomping cheers),
2. As a subset of #1, the words of some foot stomping cheers include bragging about having a boyfriend, and/or being able to get "a man" and "take a man" from any other female
3. being "tough" - This is reflected in the words of some cheers, particularly confrontational cheers.) Part of being tough is not submitting to anyone in authority. In a sub-set of foot stomping cheers that I refer to as "command/compliance", this refusal or reluctance to submit to authority is reflected in the soloist refusing to (or declining to) do what the group commands (or asks) her to do -for instance, "Show me how you get down" (meaning "dance"). Command/compliance cheers are usually categorized as part of "Introduce Yourself" foot stomping cheers or as "Dance Style" foot stomping cheers.
4. being able to dance - This is particularly reflected in dance style foot stomping cheers which provide brief demonstrations of dance steps. This value is also reflected in being able to stay on beat while stomping and clapping and being able to dance.)
****
Confrontational foot stomping cheers could have been referred to as "bad-ass" cheers.
A 2023 reddit.com music discussion thread asks "What are your favorite "i'm a badass" - bravado, braggadocio, better watch your step songs?" mentions Michael Jackson's "I'm Bad" and George Thurgood's "Bad To The Bone" records.
https://www.reddit.com/r/musicsuggestions/comments/17yagbm/what_are_your_favorite_im_a_badass_bravado/ . Another commenter in that redditt.com discussion thread wrote that a large portion of Hip Hop genre fits that description. Some other commenters mentioned some Pop songs. Also, Muddy Waters' "I'm A Man" immediately comes to my mind as a Blues song that fits the description of braggadocio songs. Braggadocio compositions from other music genres helped influence and reflect the same "boastful" values as "confrontational cheers".
Here's an excerpt from an article about "Boastful Rap":
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BoastfulRap "Boastful Rap" [no author or publishing date; retrieved Nov.
21, 2024]
"Boastful, self-aggrandizing songs occur in all genres, but
bragging songs in Hip-Hop — called braggadocio — is a cornerstone of the genre,
in a tradition stemming back to before The Golden Age of Hip Hop. It's
ubiquitous for rappers to rap about how they're badass, their money, their
drugs and guns, who they hang with, how successful they are, how good-looking
they are, and how they're really good at rapping.
The reason this is so important to hip-hop is because of the
genre's origins as DJ chatter during live party entertainment — a DJ would keep
party-goers hyped up by reminding them that they're having the best time at the
best party with the best DJ, and giving them as much evidence as possible to
make them believe it. Hip-hop, particularly Battle Rapping, is also a
descendent of the traditional African-American insult game known as "the
dozens", in which players might defend themselves from an opponent's attack
by boasting about themselves. The last reason for bragging's popularity is as a
reaction to the racism and classism that the working class Black Americans who
invented hip-hop were subjected to — bragging is a way of rejecting all the
negative stereotypes placed on the rapper, and affirming their power and
greatness."....
In similar ways, confrontation foot stomping cheers may be a reaction to negative opinions that people general public often holds toward females in general and Black females in particular. Paraphrasing that article, "bragging is a way of rejecting all the negative stereotypes placed on the rapper, and affirming their power and greatness."
****
SOME EXAMPLES OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS THAT INCLUDE CONFRONTATIONAL LANGUAGE (that begin with the letter "A"-"H" or include examples with another title that are forms of cheers that begin with "A" or "H".
The examples in this pancocojams compilation include elements from other foot stomping cheer categories besides "confrontational cheers". Based on what their words focus on, some of these examples combine confrontation words with "introductory" words, "dance" words, and/or "romantic" words.
Additional information about a specific cheer or an explanation of a word or words in that cheer may be given after its example in that particular pancocojams series.
A, B
ANGELS GO SWINGING
Group: Angels go swinging
angels go swinging!
angels go swinging,
Angels go Swinging!
Solo: My name is Katy
I'm number 1
my reputation has just begun
so if you see me just step aside
'cause me and my man
don't take no jive
Group: Uh, you thank (think) you bad
Solo: Bad enough to make you mad
Group, Uh, you thank you cool
Solo: Cool enough to go to high school
Group: Uh, you thank you fine *
Solo: Fine enough to MO, **
fine enough to Macho (not really sure what this line means or if we were even saying it right)
fine enough to hula hoop,
fine enough to kick yo' duke
Everyone: say what, say what
say what say what say what
-Joi;( Birmingham, Alabama; 1990s), cocojams.com
-snip-
This is a form of the cheer "Hollywood [Goes]
Swingin"
The contributor shared that "Angels" is the name of their sports teams at this predominately African American Catholic school.
****
BOOM TICK TOCK
Boom tick tock
Look at that girl.
Boom tick tock
Look at that girl.
In the mini skirt.
Yoiu mess with her
You get your feelings hurt.
She knows karate
From the front to the back.
Jump ____*/ [Someone randomly calls out an action word;
insert a girl's name] She's all that.
-Naijah S.; (African American female, 9 years old; Hazelwood
section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; January 14, 2011; Collected by Azizi
Powell
C, D
CALL REPUTATION
this is a saying call reputation
my name is yonnqa
i'm number one
my reputation has just begun
so if you see me step a side
cause i don't take no jive
oh think she cool
correction baby i no i'm cool
i no karate
i no kunfu
you miss with me
i co it on you
rasasol o dazzo o ox2
-yaya ; 2/23/2007, cocojams.com
-snip-
This is a form of the "Hula Hula" cheer.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
All: So can you dig it?
Yeah.
So can you dig it?
Soloist #1: My name is Maria.
And I’m a flick flick.
And I’mma punch you in your lip.
So can you dig it?
Group: What?
Soloist #1: So can you dig it?
Group: What?
Soloist #1: I was sittin by the fire
Watchin it get higher
With my man,
You understand.
Cause I’m a special kind of lady
With a special kind of man.
I get to see my baby
WHENEVER I can.
So can you dig it?
So can you dig it?
(Repeat entire cheer with the next soloist, who says her
name or nickname, and the same words. Continue with this pattern until every
member of the group as had one turn as soloist).
- African American girls ages 6-12 (Lillian Taylor Summer
Camp (Kingsley Association; Pittsburgh, PA, collected by Tazi Powell, between 1989-1992)
****
CHECK ME OUT
Check me out
check check me out
My name is Tamia
(Check)
And I'm a cheerleader
(check)
You mess with me (check)
I'll break you jaw
(check)
[Then they say]
Ol', she thinks she bad
[Then I say]
Honey, child I know I'm bad.
[They say]
Ol' she think she fine
[I say]
Fine, fine Blow your mind
Take your boyfriend any time
Bring him home. Bring him back
And make him have a heart attack.
-Tamia, 12 year old African American girl, Maryland
Oct 29. 2005; collected by Marimba Johnson for Azizi Powell
E,F
****
G, H
___ HAS THE POWER
All:(including soloist named or nickname):
Ree Ree* has the power
to scream and shout.
But Deandre** has the power
to knock
you
out.
Say what?
To knock
you
out.
Okay.
[Repeat the entire cheer with another girl’s name or
nickname or with another boy’s name or nickname]
-Riantai (Ree Ree); African American female, age 8; Faison
Primary School (Homewood area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 30, 2009;
collected by Azizi Powell, October 30, 2009
-snip-
* Girl in your competitor' cheerleading squad’s name or
nickname
**Girl in your cheerleading squad
Hollywood now swingin'! (4 times)
CALL: Name is Nita.
RESPONSE: Hollywood now swingin'!
I know how to swing.
Everytime I swing.
Stevie come around.
CALL: He popped me once!
He popped me twice!
All I felt was -dynomite!
RESPONSE: Dynomite, dynomite! (Twice)
Dynomite!
CALL: Here she is.
RESPONSE: Dynomite!
Similarly
Foxy Brown!
You mess with me,
I'll shoot you down!
Down, down,
To the ground,
Up, up,
CALL: Just out of luck!
RESPONSE: Dynomite, dynomite! (Twice)
-Barbara Borum and other Washington, D.C. schoolgirls, recorded in 1976 in Washington, D. C. by Kate Rinzler, album notes Kate Rinzler, "Old Mother Hippletoe, Rural and Urban Children's Songs"; http://www.newworldrecords.org/linernotes/80291.pdf ; 1978
-snip-
I happened upon a copy of the Oh Mother Hippletoe vinyl record set at a library used book sale sometime in the late 1990s. I bought that record for its record notes even though I didn't have a record player at that time. Band 3 "Cheerleading" of that record features four* examples of what the author of the record notes calls "cheers".
*Hollywood Keep Swinging/Dynomite" are probably two different cheers....
I put this example first because it's the oldest example of this cheer that I've come acros.
****
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGIN (Version #2)
All: Hollywood goes swingin
Hollywood goes ___swingin
Swingin for the good times
Swingin for the bad times
Soloist #1: My name is Zizi
I’m cool and the gang
Mess with me. I’ll do my thang
If you see me walkin down the street
You betta speak.
Long time, no see
Sexy as I wanna be
Some hittin me high
Some hittin me low
Some hittin me on my-
Don’t ask what
Group: What?
Soloist #1: My b-u-tt butt
That's what.
- T.M.P, (African American female, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
1985-1986); also collected by Tazi Powell (from African American girls,
Pittsburgh [Lillian Taylor Camp], 1989 or 1990
HOLLYWOOD GOES SWINGING (Version #3)
All: Hollywood goes swingin;.
Swingin’ for the good times.
Swingin’ for the bad times.
Soloist #1: My name is Ebony.
(And) I’m cool and the gang.
You mess with me
And I’ll do my thang.
My sign is Libra
And that’s alright.
Cause all Libra’s
Are out of sight.
All: Hey you,
Check it out!
You! You!
Check it out!
-TMP, Pittsburgh, PA, mid 1980s; collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
Repeat cheer with next soloist who gives her astrological
sun sign.
The cheer continues until everyone has had one turn as the
soloist.
HOLLYWOOD KEEP SWINGING (Version #4)
I don't remember all of it but it went something like this:
My name is __________, my number is one,
my reputation is having fun,
those who see me step aside,
mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive.
My name is ______, my number is two,
my reputation is loving you,
those who see me step aside,
mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive
My name is _______, my number is three,
my reputation is being free,
those who see me step aside
mighty (Zodiac sign) don't take no jive.
Each person in the group would pick a number and it would go
around until you get to the number 10. I don't remember all the rhymes, but I
am sure creative people can think of stuff to say.;)
-sigmadiva, 03-25-2003,
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-31403.html Old School Chants
-snip-
In a subsequent post to that discussion thread AKA2D '91
wrote "That was our Hollywood Keep Swinging!"
****
Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Aniesha
I'm number one
My reputation is having fun
So if you see me just step aside
"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive.
Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is katrina
I'm number two
My reputation is me and you
So if you see me just step on back
'Cause mighty Katrina don't take no slack.
Hollywood rock swinging.
Hollywood rock swinging.
My name is Natasha
I'm number twelve
My reputation is ringing that bell
So if you see my just step aside
"Cause mighty Aniesha don't take no jive
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by
Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 14)
-snip-
That book's preface indicates that the source of all of the
examples in that book were Black children from Houston, Texas.
HOLLYWOOD NOT SWINGIN
When we were kids, what were some of your favorite hood
cheers? Post 'em here. Mine was "Hollywood Not Swingin'"
Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'
Hollywood not swingin', Hollywood not...swingin'
Well my name is Yella, my number's 1,
My reputation is havin' fun,
So if you see me just step aside,
Because this light chick don't take no jiiiiiiiiivvveeee...
.
-Cocaine, no location given,
http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php/43158-Hood-Cheers, 8/18/2006
-snip-
WARNING: That discussion thread includes profanity and
sexually explicit references
****
HULA HULA (Version #1)
Group: Hula Hula.
Who think they bad?
Soloist #1: I do.
Group: Hula Hula.
Who think they bad?
Soloist #1: I do.
Well, I think I’m bad cause
Cara’s my name
and love is my game.
I got this boy on my mind
and Lord knows he’s fine.
I got his name on my shirt
and don’t call it dirt.
Group: Ooh, she thinks she’s bad.
Soloist #1: Correction, baby I KNOW I’m
bad.
Group: Ooh, she thinks she’s fine.
Soloist #1:Fine enough to blow YOUR
mind.
-TMP.; Pittsburgh, PA, memories of mid. 1980s (cassette
recorded in 1992 ; transcribed in 1996 by Azizi Powell)
-snip-
My guess is that the word "hula" in this cheer's
title comes from the word "hollah" ("holler"), a colloquial
word for "hello".
"Hula Hula’s" beat is stomp clap; stomp stomp clap. "Stomp clap; stomp stomp clap" appears to be the most often used foot stomping beat. Another beat is stomp clap, stomp clap).
****
HULA HULA (Version #2)
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad now
Hula Hula
Who thinks she's bad)
I think I'm bad
'Cause Shelly's my name
Black is my color
And love is my game
(Ooh, She think she bad)
[posturing] Ooh, I know I'm bad.
(Ooh, she think she bad)
Ooh, I know I'm bad
(Ooh, she think she bad)
Chile, go kiss my ass (or “Chile, your breath is bad” or
“Chile go take a bath”)
repeat rhyme from the beginning.
-bublackberry (African American woman); Connecticut; received by Azizi Powell via email from cocojams , 11/11/05 .
****
HULA HULA (Version #3)
Hula Hula
Now who thinks they bad
Hula Hula
Now who thinks they bad
I think I'm bad
'Cause Acie my name
Take a sip of my potion
And dance in slow motion
Uh-huh
She think she bad
Baby baby don't make me mad
Uh-huh
She think she cool
Baby baby don't act a fool
Uh-huh
She think she sweet
Sweetest person you ever meet
Uh-huh
She think she fine
Baby baby I'll blow your mind
-Apples On A Stick: The Folklore Of Black Children by
Barbara Michels and Bettye White (1983; p. 13); That book's preface indicates
that Black children from Houston, Texas were the source of all of the examples
in that book.
****
HELLO (A Version of "Hula Hula")
H-e-l-l-o,
we are here
to say hello to Mocha
Mocha is my name
and cheering is my game
Pink and purple are my colors
don't you worry 'bout my lovers.
(Uhm she think she bad)
Correction baby, I know I'm bad.
(Uhm, she think she cool)
Cool enough to steal your dude.
(Uhm, she think she fine)
Fine enough to blow his mind.
-”Miss Mocha,
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=31403&page=5, 03-28-2003
****
STEP STEP TAKE A STEP (A version of "Hula Hula")
Step, Step, Take a Step
You got it
Come on
Again
Break it down now
Krissy is my name
Uno is my game
Blue is my color so don't worry bout my lover
Take a sniff of my potion
Rub it down like lotion
(Ooo she think she bad)
Correction baby I know I'm bad
(Ooo she think she cool)
Cool enough to steal yo dude
(Ooo she think she fine)
Fine enough to blow his mind
(Ooo she think she hip)
Hip hip potato chip, mess with me I'll bust yo lip
Girl, girl stop yo lying, least my man don't leave me crying
See that house on top of that hill? That's where me and my
baby gon' lip
-snip-
Cookie, http://thechocolatetease.blogspot.com/2013/03/childhood-rhymes.html
, March 11, 2013
-snip-
This is an example that is referred to as a "rhyme" by that the blog hostess (who
identified herself in the comments as "Cookie". Cookie indicates that these are
"childhood rhymes I used to play on the West side of Detroit while I grew
up :)". The blog's title ("chocolate tease") and the photo of a
Black girl on the blog serve to document that the blog's host is an African
American woman.
****
WHO NOW WHO NOW (a version of Hula Hula)
Who now Who now, Now who think they bad
Who now Who now, Now who think they bad
I do
I know I'm bad cause Afro's my name
Uh Huh
Football's my game
Uh Huh
Black is my color dont u worry about my lover
Um she think she bad
Bad bad super bad, bad enough I know I'm bad
Um she think she tough
Tough tough super tough tough enough to kick your butt
Um she think shes fine
Fine enough to blow Eric's mind
Um she think she's cute
Cute enough to steal your dude
-Afrochic (Memphis, Tennessee),
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=31403&page=5 Old School
Chants, 03-30-2003
****
HUMP DE DANDA
All: Hump De Danda
Hump Hump De Danda
Hump De Danda
Hump HumpDe Danda
Soloist #1: (Well) My name is Toya.
Group: De Danda, Hump Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: I’m super cool.
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: You mess with me
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: and you’re a fool.
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: I’m goin down
Group: De Danda Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: to touch the ground.
Group: De Danda, Hump, Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: I’m comin up
Group: De Danda, Hump Hump De Danda
Soloist #1: to mess you up.
All: Humpty Dumpty
sat on ah wall
Humpty Dumpty
had a great fall.
Oosh, ain’t that funky now.
Oosh, aint that funky now.
Oosh, ain’t that, Oosh ain’t that
Oosh, ain’t that funky now.
(Repeat the entire cheer with the next soloist)
-African American girls (ages 6-12 years old; Lillian Taylor
camp, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, collected by Tazi Powell, 1990 or 1991
****
HUMP DE DUMP
Hump-dee-dump (2x)
My name is _____. Dee-dump
I go to school. Dee-dump
I know I'm cool. Dee-dump
Cause I'm as fast as a dollar and nobody can make me holla but my man.*Said with 'tude and a body roll when we say man.
DiamondPlatinum, Jun 24, 2017 https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/black-girl-rhymes-what-was-yours-growing-up.1196979/page-3
June 24, 2017
-snip-
This blogger noted that she was from the Midwest. [the Midwestern region of the United States]
-snip-
"'tude"= attitude [sassiness]
WARNING: some rhyme examples or comments on lipstickalley.com continue profanity, sexually explicit content, and the "n word".
****
This concludes Part I of this 2 part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Here's some information about "Alafia Children's Ensemble" that is mentioned as a source for some of the cheers and rhymes that are part of this and other pancocojams compilations.
ReplyDelete"Alafia Children’s Ensemble" was the name of an once a week after-school group for girls and boys ages 6-12 years old that I founded and co-led with my daughter Tazi Powell in Braddock, Pennsylvania and in nearby Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Braddock, Pennsylvania group was divided (by the attendees' choices) into "game songs & cheers" (attended by girls, mostly African American) and (introductory djembe drumming (attended by girls and boys ages 8-12 years.
The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after school sessions of Alafia Children's Ensemble started two years after the Braddock, Pa group. The Pittsburgh sessions were held at a Pittsburgh Public elementary school. At the direction of that school's Principal, those two hour a week sessions were only open to girls in the third grade.
As was the case with the Braddock, Pa game song group, Pittsburgh attendees focused on sharing, learning, and performing traditional African American game songs, contemporary "foot stomping cheers" as well as some original songs that I composed. Both of these groups performed this material together or separately at several Braddock and Pittsburgh community sites.
In addition, my daughter and I held one time "game song" sessions during the summer months at various mostly African American community sites. All of these sessions served as opportunities to collect examples of African American children's rhymes and cheers.
Here's some information about "Cocojams.com" that is mentioned as a source for some of the cheers and rhymes that are part of this and other pancocojams compilations.
ReplyDelete"Cocojams" was the name of my no longer active cultural website. That website was online from January 2000 to October 2014. That multi-page website has an easy to use page where visitors could submit rhymes and cheer example using their first name without an email address. A lot of children and pre-teens used that page to submit examples. Some of those examples are documented on pancocojams as well as on my companion blog https://cocojams2.blogspot.com/ .
Here are some additional links to pancocojams posts about foot stomping cheers:
ReplyDeletehttp://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-cheers.html "An Overview Of Foot Stomping Cheers (Part I- Characteristic & Sources)". That post presents my overview of this sub-set of English language children's cheerleading cheers. That post also includes my speculation about why this sub-set of cheerleader cheers appears to no longer be performed, or are only currently performed by cheerleaders in modified ways.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/03/some-youtube-videos-of-foot-stomping.html "Some YouTube Videos Of Foot Stomping Cheers (With Other Videos Of Similar Children's Stepping Motions & Routines)".
Here are two additional pancocojams posts that are closely related to this foot stomping cheer series:
ReplyDeleteWhat Does "Don't Take No Jive" REALLY Mean In Children's Hand Clap Rhymes, Children's Foot Stomping Cheers, And An American University Football Chant
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-does-dont-take-no-jive-means-in.html
and
What "Don't Take No Jive" REALLY Means And Examples Of "Don't Take No Jive" In African American Girls' Hand Clap Rhymes & Cheers, Part II
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-does-dont-take-no-jive-means-in.html"